When companies decide that they want to commit to helping the environment and launch their own environmental initiative, who do they call? (Hint: not Ghostbusters!).
Kohlberg Kravis and Roberts & Co, a private equity firm founded by Henry Kravis and his cousin George Roberts, launched the Green Portfolio Program (GPP) in 2008, an initiative developed to help companies kick off their own environmental initiatives and manage them in profitable ways. The program was launched through the combined efforts of the Environmental Defense Fund and three of KKR’s private equity portfolio companies. Together, their goal was to design a program that helps companies reduce costs by reducing waste and reducing water and energy consumption—helping these companies leave the smallest carbon footprint possible.
How does GPP help companies go about achieving this? They assess the impact the companies in their portfolio are having on the environment based on key performance areas such as waste, water, and forest resources. KKR provides these companies the tools and resources to measure and track the results of their environmental initiatives in order to help them meet their sustainability goals. In addition, KKR places a special emphasis on developing relationships between their portfolio programs. The firm puts on workshops and seminars where companies can collaborate and share successful tactics in their environmental efforts.
GGP has produced results. It is estimated that at the end of 2011, GPP has, through it’s portfolio companies, helped prevent 2.2 million tons of waste and 810,000 tons of GHG emissions. The fact that GPP has produced results shows what can really happen when companies have the drive to help the environment and are armed with tools and resources to do so.
To learn more about Henry Kravis click here!